Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Monte, CA
VS
Port St. Lucie, FL
🏆 Port St. Lucie leads 18 of 22 categories
El Monte
California
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
108,682
Port St. Lucie
Florida
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,040 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
31 ✓ Safer
Population
210,520 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Monte, CA
Pros
Rent averages $79/mo less ($1,605 vs $1,684)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $597,200
Median income trails Port St. Lucie by $15,111/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Port St. Lucie
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
Homes cost $304k less ($292,900 vs $597,200)
72% less violent crime than El Monte
Households earn $15,111 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (5.7%)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than El Monte
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,684/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Port St. Lucie
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 101.7 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Port St. Lucie
Median Income
$15,111
$75,040 vs $59,929/yr
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
72% lower
116.7 vs 423.2 per 100k
Port St. Lucie
Median Home Value
$304k less
$292,900 vs $597,200
Port St. Lucie
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
5.7% vs 7.0% unemployment
Port St. Lucie
Summer Heat
3.1°F warmer
July avg high 88.6°F vs 85.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Monte, CA | Port St. Lucie, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $597,200⚠ High | $292,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,605⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,684⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,929 | $75,040 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.3 min⚠ High | 29.2 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 9.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 106⚠ High | 33 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High | 31 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 98 | 36 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | B- (92) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.7% | 26.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.9% | 90.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mountain View Elementary | ST. LUCIE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.6°F | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,682 | 210,520 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 43.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.6% | 82.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 21.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Monte's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Port St. Lucie's 101.7 (US average = 100).
Port St. Lucie is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Port St. Lucie leads 18 of 22 categories. El Monte wins 4 and Port St. Lucie wins 18. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from El Monte to Port St. Lucie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,200 vs $292,900 median home), income ($59,929 vs $75,040), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Monte, CA and Port St. Lucie, FL are about 2,272 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.